I will be inviting each of you to post your reflective journey slides/video on this blog, but for now I would just like you to say in a paragraph how you have enjoyed this course, what challenges you faced and if and how it has/ will impact on your classroom practice.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

As the whole course is gamified we do celebrate our success ongoingly. I am glad to report that the #Gapschools teachers are getting back into the groove for the new year and are competing for the top points positions as well as delivering good quality lessons using the strategies and technologies.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

In order to earn this badge, you will have to create a flipped lesson experience for your class. Vicky has created a great summary of what a flipped lesson is all about for her content creation badge:

So, to summarise:

Create or download the content that you want them to work through (relating to your curriculum subject content) to be able to do their "homework" in the class with your help.

You can use the myriad of educational subject videos on Youtube, Khan Academy or any of the amazing video sites out there already. (e.g. see the Mathematics Xhosa videos here: https://xh.khanacademy.org/)

You can create your own content by letting someone video you giving the lesson, or by creating a video lesson using some video creation tools (e.g. Screenomatic, Microsoft Mix which allows you to turn a slideshow into a video with voice overs and the students can see you- see some examples here: goo.gl/Dyo2Jv)

Suggestion: Make sure that you add some guiding questions that the learners have to answer after hey have watched the video/interacted with your content

Suggestion: when they come to class, first do a little self marking diagnostic test with them to make sure that they have worked through the material e.g. using a tool like Testmoz

Give the learners their "homework" activity to do in the class in groups or pairs so that they can help one another.

Monday, February 6, 2017

To take your learners on an actual field trip, like what we have done, can be logistically challenging but at the same time very rewarding. It is advisable to take them somewhere close to the school that is easily accessible and safe. The venue should also lend itself to lots of learning opportunities e.g. the Casino where we went offered various mathematical, chance, and sociological learning scenarios.
Make sure that tablet use are seamlessly incorporated (e.g. using QR codes, videos, photo, etc).

For this badge, you may work with a colleague(s) from other subject(s) area(s), but you have to create at least some (minimum 5) of the questions yourself, that will be relevant to your subject. Apart from handing in the entire Field trip activity worksheet, you must mark which questions you contributed!

Before you create your field trip worksheet, organise with the venue to go and do a scouting trip. This mainly consist of taking lots of photos and looking at things that could tie in with your subject areas. Have a look at Sarah-Lee's explanation of what we did to prepare for the teachers ICT4RED field trip:

Once you have all your photos and some ideas around how you can link it up with your subject area, you can scan through the photos and create your scavenger hunt! Here is a how-to tutorial with step by step instructions:

What is assessment?
Assessment is a way to measure if learners have achieved all the learning outcomes as stated in the curriculum (CAPS) document. We gather evidence of achievement in the form of assessment tasks using assessment tools.

During this course you have been introduced to various assessment tasks and tools (e.g. see example alongside). Badges in this course is used to formally assess if you can apply the given teaching strategy with the support of mobile technologies.

There are two broad categories of assessment: Informal and Formal.

The
instruments used to gather evidence are called ASSESSMENT TOOLS. It:

After working through activity 0, you should have a good idea of what a flipped classroom is. Instead of doing a lecture about flipped classrooms I gave you various resources that explained what it is. To check if the basics are in place, do the following quiz: testmoz.com/1057875

Thursday, February 2, 2017

On Friday we will be doing Flipped classrooms as a teaching strategy. So. We will be doing flipped classrooms in a flipped way. This means that you will learn about flipped classrooms before your come to class. So here is your Homework. Or is it classwork?

This
activity will take place BEFORE the
session. It is of the utmost importance that you understand what a flipped
classroom is before you come to this session. All the resources for this
activity can be found in your Module 6
Resources folder here:

Thursday, January 12, 2017

The start of the new year is always a shock to our systems with all the planning, getting used to all the learners, the noise and the buzz!! I feel for you all! But it is also very exciting to be back and see all the new and old faces again!

We are just over half way with our #ict4red tablet course and it is time for some serious planning while we are at it! I will be virtually talking/working with each of you individually over the next few weeks to make sure that you get back on track and help with some lesson ideas, apps and tools that you can use to get your #ICT4RED jaribaaa back. The strategies that we have dealt with over the first 6 modules are totally fun, practical and ready for you to implement in your classroom into what you have to do in any case! So there is nooooo reason to panic!!

I know that having done the last few modules just before the end of year examinations, did not leave any time for classroom implementation. It is therefore essential that we plan our lessons this year in such a way that we can earn our badges and create award winning jaribaaa lessons at the same time!

Talking about badges..... Here is our top 10 badge earners from last year. It looks like the Queenstown Primary school is taking the early lead!!!!

1

Olivia

Horn

8

2

Christine

Murray

7

3

Nelia

Moss

7

4

Sarah-Lee

Frewen

7

5

Vicki

du Preez

7

6

Didas

Tumusiime

6

7

Gweny

Van Deventer

6

8

Jessie

Kay

6

9

Patrick

Adjei

6

10

BENJAMIN

MILLS

5

Our assessment this year is moving up a notch as we will be looking for the top #ict4red #GAPSchool achievers. To earn the #ict4red merit badge we will be identifying innovative lessons that can be used as inspiring case studies in our #ICT4RED integration book/site and the lessons will also be entered into the #ispasuperteacher competition! So now is the time to get your groove on!!

The following rubric will be used to evaluate all badges this year.

Modules 1 to 10
The pink indicates the minimum requirements for earning a badge. The rest of the criteria will count towards a merit award.

CATEGORY

4

3

2

1

Lesson plan description

Lesson plan is described in detail with Grade, Topic, CAPS alignment and specific outcomes and the lesson implements the given strategy with all tech well described.

Lesson plan is described in detail with Grade, Topic, CAPS alignment and specific outcomes and the lesson implements the given strategy.

Lesson plan is described in detail with Grade, Topic, CAPS alignment and implements the given strategy.

Lesson plan is briefly described but I can't quite get what the lesson is about. No CAPS alignment.

Badge criteria

All badge criteria is handed in and is accompanied by a detailed lesson plan and uploaded to Google drive.

All badge criteria is handed in and is accompanied by a detailed lesson plan.

All badge criteria is handed in.

Not all badge criteria is covered.

Originality

Lesson shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and innovative.

Lesson shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights.

Lesson uses other people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking.

Use other people's ideas, but do not give them credit.

Technology use

Tablets and technology were used in a WOW seamless way and it was a paperless environment throughout with focus on pedagogy.

Tablets and technology were used seamlessly in an innovative way during the lesson

Tablets and technology were used during the lesson in a basic way (Photos, videos) and badge artifacts were uploaded to shared Google drive

No technology was incorporated into the lesson except for accessing the material in digital format.

Reflection

Your online journal is up to date and you are using it for everyday reflection and to capture all learning, notes and memos. You are constantly reflecting on your teaching practice and creating learning briefs e.g if anything did not work, you reflect on why it did not work and how you can change it to improve your practice. Your journal is WOW!

All lessons are captured in journal with what worked and what did not work with photos and voice recordings and detailed explanations of what happened before, during and after the lesson.

All lessons are captured in journal with what worked and what did not work.

Some evidence of reflective teaching (Some journal entries).

Total Score

Other badges:
The pink indicates the minimum requirements for earning a badge. The rest of the criteria will count towards a merit award.

You have made innovative and creative use of technology and methodology to create your assessment tool.

You have used technology to create or capture your assessment task. (e.g. google forms, testmoz) and your students have completed it electronically

You have supplied a scanned/completed learner instrument as well as the Assessment Motivation Template

You have created 3 different assessment tools (e.g. rubric, self-assessment questionnaire, scoring sheet, test with memorandum)

Blogging/Blog collaborator

You have created a blog for your class/subject and have used embedded objects. Your learners are actively participating on your blog via comments and posts

You have created your own blog and have made at least 5 blogposts

You have contributed a blogpost to our www.gapict4red.blogspot.com blog.

You have made at least 5 comments on any of the ict4red school blog posts (www.gapict4red.blogspot.com)

Mobile skills

Have used apps and tools in innovative and creative ways throughout the course

Have created how to tutorials for apps and tools not defined in the course

Can do more advanced mobile skills required in the course

Can do some all the basic tablet skills required in the course

Jaribaaaa Badge

Your classes are transformed into learner centred innovation hubs and you are an exemplary guide on the side. You have the Jaribaaaa factor

Enthusiastically participated and are very excited about using the strategies and tech in the classroom

Helped others and actively participated in the gamification and fun

Attended the minimum no of training sessions (8) and participated

Total Score

I would also like you to revisit what you have done last year and make sure that your ICT4RED google drive folder has the following in for every module (even if you have already been awarded your badge). This will be your online portfolio for SACE accreditation.

Your lesson plan describing what you have done. You can use the lesson plan template here (goo.gl/dlZL7g) or use your own, making sure that I will be able to use the above rubric to "evaluate" your lesson, know what it is about and how you have used technology (mobile devices in your classroom. It has to be in electronic format in your folder.

Make sure that you have covered all the criteria and that all evidence have been uploaded to your google drive folder.

Do not put ALL your photos and videos in your google drive, choose the ones that best describes the lesson and adhere to the criteria.

If you want to do another lesson on a badge that you have already earned, feel free and let me know to look at it for merit achievement!!

If you need help getting back on track with what to do for each badge, see the badge support posts: